Pest of the Month April 2012 – Hibiscus Erineum Mite

  • Hosts:  Hibiscus spp., particularly the Chinese red hibiscus
  • Distribution: Hawaii- all of the major islands; Tonga, Fiji, and other Pacific areas; Australia
  • Damage: (1)  Unsightly leaf, stem, and twig galls
  • Management: (1)  Biological control – predatory mites (2)  Cultural control – consider replacing with another type of hibiscus less susceptible or with another type of plant. (3) Chemical control – prune to remove severely affected stems prior to miticide application.  Repeat applications at least 2-3 times at weekly intervals.

Source: Hibiscus Erineum Mite, by Arnold Hara, Dick Tsuda, James Tavares, Julie Yogi, and David Hensley. University of Hawaii at Manoa, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Cooperative Extension Service, Insect Pests IP-7, April 2001.

Hibiscus erineum mite damage. Photo by Dr. Scot Nelson, UH CTAHR>